A Circle Tightens, Silence Breaks
Once class was over, the tension that had lingered around Videl didn't disappear—it simply changed shape.
The students began to move, chairs scraping softly against the polished floor, voices rising again in casual chatter. The heavy atmosphere from earlier loosened, but for Videl, it hadn't left at all. It clung to her like something invisible… something stubborn.
She had barely stepped out into the corridor when her friends approached her.
Niva was the first.
Her long red hair swayed as she moved quickly, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly—not in anger, but in concern. There was a subtle urgency in her steps, the kind that came from someone who noticed things others didn't.
"Hey… what was that back there?" Niva asked, her voice lower than usual, careful. Not accusing. Just… worried.
